Has this ever happened to you - you are in the middle of a recipe and forget what you are making? I'm sure this happens to everyone, right? ::crickets chirping:: Well, as you can probably guess, this happened to me when I was making this recipe. I was defrosting the shrimp and chatting away with Justin about my day. Before I realized it, I had taken all the tails off the shrimp. (I'm pretty sure I've never seen a shrimp cocktail like that.) I considered drawing tiny tails on the above picture, but thought you might notice. So instead, we laughed about it, and ate our appetizer with forks instead. If you prefer to eat your shrimp cocktail the old fashioned way, feel free to leave the tails on. :)

Shrimp cocktail has never been easier... or tastier! I will never go back to boiling shrimp again. And the homemade cocktail sauce is vastly better than the store-bought version. I definitely recommend this for your next party or just a night home.

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

For the shrimp:
2 lbs. (12 to 15-count) shrimp
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

For the sauce:
1/2 cup chili sauce (recommended: Heinz)
1/2 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
2 tsp.freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder, and spread them in 1 layer. Roast for 8 to10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool.

For the sauce, combine the chili sauce, ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Serve as a dip with the shrimp.

Source: adapted from Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics

This was the perfect starter for the Ladies' Luncheon I hosted last weekend. I was able to prepare the mousse the day before and pipe the mixture onto the crackers just before the party began. I served the leftovers on fresh cucumber, which was equally delicious (as well as refreshing for a gorgeous day). I definitely recommend making these for your next get together!

Salmon Mousse

8 oz. smoked salmon, flaked with a fork
8 oz. cream cheese
2 tsp. fresh dill, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, finely minced

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse repeatedly until all the ingredients are blended and smooth. Transfer to a serving dish, cover with plastic wrap and chill at least one hour. (Alternatively, pipe the mixture onto crackers and garnish with fresh herbs.)

Source: adapted from Annie's Eats

I had planned to blog about these after our housewarming party, but I couldn't. I know you are asking yourself, "How could you not blog about these amazing heaven-in-a-bite potato delights?" I'll tell you why - I never got to try one! They were eaten so fast that neither Justin nor I even got one little bite. So, on top of not getting a decent picture due to some weird lighting issues, I decided to wait until the next time I made them.

Now that it is summer, I do my very very best to avoid using the oven so I have been putting these off. Justin's best friend came for a visit last weekend and he is obsessed (and I mean obSESSed) with these potatoes. I knew it would make his trip if I made them, so we decided to give it on try on the grill. Cliff's verdict? Well, he was eating them cold out of the fridge, so he may be a little too close to the potatoes to give a true verdict. The rest of us thought they were delicious! They warmed up so quickly (Justin made sure the coals were very hot) and they were absolutely delicious. I now know why they went like hot cakes the first time around. Give this versatile recipe a try - in the oven, on the grill, or even out of the fridge (although I personally think they need to be warm). Just make sure to double the recipe if you are having more than a couple people over!

Mini Twice-Baked Potatoes

1 lb. gourmet red potatoes (about 1- 1 1/2 in in diameter)
1 cup medium cheddar, finely grated
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, finely minced
2 Tbsp. half and half

Place steam insert over large stockpot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Wash potatoes and halve length wise, cutting an additional bit from the bottom so that the half can stand on its own. Place potatoes into steam insert and cook, covered, until fork tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, place cheddar, cream cheese, and parsley into medium bowl, stirring to combine completely. Let potatoes slightly cool and using a melon baller, scoop out main portion of each potato half, leaving a solid shell. Place scooped out potato into bowl with cheese mixture. Once all potatoes are completed, mix scooped potato and cheese mixture thoroughly until as smooth as possible. Add half and half to smooth mixture.

Place potato shells onto a baking sheet or grill-safe pan. Using a pastry bag or plastic sandwich bag with end snipped, pipe mixture into potato shells. Bake or grill filled potatoes until heated through and just browned on top.

Source: adapted from Good Things Catered

I think almost every blog has several posts starting with "I have been meaning to try this recipe for the longest time" or "Every time I tried to make this, something came up." Please believe me when I tell you, I literally had these on my weekly meal plan for several months. I would plan to make them every single week and something was always fated to spoil my plan. I finally made them and have already begun to fit them in again. We loved how delicious these were and we will definitely have to find time to make them again!

Soft Pretzels

1 1/2 cups plus 10 cups warm water, divided
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for pan
2/3 cup baking soda
Egg wash (1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 Tbsp. water)
Pretzels salt (I didn't have any, so I used kosher salt.)

Combine 1 1/2 cups water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook. Sprinkle yeast on top and allow to sit for 5 minutes, or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot for approximately 50-55 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the egg wash and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Source: Alton Brown

If you love it so much, why don't you maarry it! This may remind you of your childhood days, but it rings true in my house. As sad as it is, if Justin could marry a food, I believe he would marry buffalo wings. Yes, yes it is true. I have come to terms with Justin loving them as much as me, but it is still hard to type it out. When I was making my meal plan last week, I asked Justin if he had any requests. "Buffalo Chicken!" He has never asked me to make buffalo chicken for him - I have always assumed he thought I couldn't do as well as the millions of restaurants that serve the wonderful delicacy. I guess my newly-found culinary skills encouraged him to finally take the plunge. But, I could surely never compare to the likes of a seedy hole in the wall five-star restaurant. Since I had no choice, I searched for the perfect recipe. The verdict? As he was elbow-deep in buffalo sauce, he looked at me with loving eyes and said, "These are the best wings I've ever had in my life. Is this all there is?" After 10 minutes of me interrogating him, I finally believed him. I must hold this recipe close - it's now the secret to my successful marriage! (Okay, not really, but I'm sure it wouldn't hurt making these the next time I splurge on a pair of shoes...)

The best part about the recipe is that is so easily adaptable for a non-buffalo sauce-lover like myself. Since you don't add the sauce to the chicken until the last minute, it was so easy to toss Justin's chicken in wing sauce and mine in barbeque sauce. So versatile! I changed this recipe so it was healthier than the normal fried wings you find out at a restaurant. I (and Justin) highly recommend giving this one a try.

Buffalo (and Barbeque) Popcorn Chicken with Bleu Cheese Dressing

For chicken bites:
2 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
Pinch of onion powder
Pam or vegetable spray
Dash of ground black pepper
Dash of garlic powder
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)
Barbeque sauce

For bleu cheese dressing:
1/4 cup bleu cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Dash of ground black pepper

In a small bowl or ziplock bag, mix together the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt. Place chicken pieces in bowl, and mix until pieces are evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to 2 hours. (I did this the night before serving.) (This is very important to ensure pieces get crispy in the oven. Do not skip this step!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a wire rack over a jelly roll pan. (If you don't have a wire rack, you can create a make-shift rack out of aluminum foil.) Place chicken on rack, and bake for 35 minutes. Turn the oven up to 375 degrees, spray chicken with Pam, and bake for 5 more minutes so they get crispy.

While the chicken is baking, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and the hot sauce. Stir together until the butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and set aside.

Once chicken is cooked, place bites in a small bowl. Add hot sauce mixture and stir together. Move to a serving plate and serve with bleu cheese dressing and celery. (If you want to make barbeque bites instead, toss with barbeque sauce instead of hot sauce mixture.)

To make bleu cheese dressing, combine bleu cheese crumbles, mayonnaise, sour cream, green onions, lemon juice and pepper, and stir until combined.

Source: adapted from All Recipes

I have learned that Justin's fraternity brothers will pretty much eat anything that has beer in it (e.g. Guinness Cupcakes). When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it the next time they were coming over. The verdict? A hit! They all really enjoyed it, and even ate up all the fresh veggies I had out. (I guess that's how you get frat boys to eat healthy - add beer!) I loved this recipe because I could do my favorite thing - make it ahead of time. This keeps for up to four days in your fridge, so whip this up tonight for a get together on Friday.

Cheddar Ale Spread

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup beer (anything but a light beer)
2 tsp. dried parsley

Combine the cream cheese, mustard, cheddar cheese, cream and salt in a food processor or blender. (If you are using a blender, make sure the cream cheese is very soft and stir by hand before blending.) Process for 30 seconds, add the beer, and continue processing until very smooth. Stir in the parsley by hand until just dispersed.

This can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. (Just make sure to take it out an hour before serving.)

Source: adapted from Cooking This and That

This recipe was a lot more time consuming than I had hoped, but was well worth it. This makes a TON of pico de gallo. I was able to keep refilling the bowl throughout the night and even have some leftover for quesadillas the next day. Next time, I will definitely make this a day in advance, but who doesn't like something you can make ahead of time?

Pico de Gallo

10-12 vine-ripened tomatoes
1 small vidalia or other sweet onion, diced finely
1 good sized jalapeno
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
juice of 1 large lime
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 generous pinch salt
1 dash ground black pepper

Wash tomatoes, then halve and scoop out to discard seeds and innards. Slice tomato halves into thin strips and finely dice; place in large bowl. Halve jalapeno and scoop out to discard membrane and seeds. (Leave some in if you want it really hot!) Slice into thin strips and mince, then add to bowl with tomatoes. Add remaining ingredients, salt and peppering only to taste.

Source: adapted from Good Things Catered

I was perusing different Web sites in an attempt to find an appetizer for Easter that I could make myself (as opposed to buying something pre-made), but make at least a day ahead of time. I love biscuits, so when I saw this recipe on the Pillsbury site, I was sold. I made these the day before Easter and stuck them in the freezer. When it was time to cook them, I just added a little time to the recipe and they came out perfect. (Except I should have pushed the dough down a touch more so they were more attractive, but that's only aesthetics.) Everybody thought they were fantastic, including Justin, who isn't normally a big appetizer kind of guy. He requested that I make these everyday for the rest of his life. I could be wrong, but I think that means he liked them? Next time I think I will try to use homemade biscuit dough, but this was great to make quickly and ahead of time!

Sun-Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Biscuit Puffs

1 can Pillsbury Golden Layers Refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits (I used Butter Tastin')
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan

Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each biscuit evenly into 2 layers, making 20 dough rounds. Press each in ungreased miniature muffin cup.

In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, onion powder and Italian seasoning. Spoon 1 1/2 - 2 tsp. mayonnaise mixture into each dough lined cup. Sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese.

Cover muffin tin with plastic wrap then aluminum foil, then put in the freezer until ready to bake.

Once ready to bake, uncover (do not thaw) and bake at 375 degrees for 16 minutes, or until golden brown. Loosen puffs with a knife and immediately remove from muffin tin (be careful, they will be extremely hot) and let cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.

Source: adapted from Pillsbury

PS. I entered this into the Tasty Tools contest. This month features muffin pans! Check it out on Joelen's Blog.